Why Do We Use Infrared Cameras For Inspection? How Do They Work?

Inspections are things that are done to every building across the globe. This is because it is important to know whether things are working seamlessly. In the past, conducting building inspections was a bit challenging. Nowadays, the situation has changed. This is because of the rise of infrared technology. If you are new to all of this, do not worry. We are going to break down this technology and explain how it works. We will then explain why experts rely on it heavily during inspections.

How Do Infrared Cameras Work?

Before you get to know how the inspection of items using thermal imaging works, you should first understand what these devices are. Thermal cameras are devices that use infrared radiation to create an image. The camera comes with various parts like a screen, lens, and buttons/keys. Of course, we cannot forget the handle. Although it is not those high tech-tech camera stabilizers, it plays the same roles. One of them is giving support to your thermal camera.  

One particular part is pivotal when taking these images, and that is the lens. It focuses the infrared light that is emitted by the objects in view. When the light reaches the camera, infrared-detector elements scan it. It is these elements that give rise to a very detailed temperature pattern. This is what we call a thermogram.

In Inspection

What we have explained above is what basically happens when using a thermal camera. But when it comes to inspection, there is much more that happens. That is why inspections require a unique set of skills. Hence you will find most people hiring the services of an energy auditor. Because such people know how to interpret certain phenomena once they see them on the screen. Here is what happens.

As stated above, when inspecting a building, for instance, images on the thermal camera records the temperature variations in the building. The variations in this particular case range from black for cooler areas to white for the warm areas.  But note, there are two ways in which these kinds of inspections are done which are;

•         Exterior Inspection
•         Interior Inspection

Both are effective ways of carrying out thermographic inspections, but whatever choice is selected is always up to the energy auditor. Most of the time, the current weather conditions usually influence his/her decision in a certain way. All in all, you will find interior inspection being used widely in most situations.

This is because interior inspections come with two main benefits.

1. Interior inspections are more accurate during certain weather conditions like windy conditions. Basically, when the expert is inspecting, there is less interference from the air movement.
2.  Another reason is that warm air that is escaping from a house/building does not move in a straight line all the time. That is why you may find that heat loss in one area outside the wall might be coming from another section inside the building’s walls. Of course, some people are new to all of this and would like to buy a thermal camera to experiment for themselves. If you are one of them, you can check out a list of FLIR’s most expensive IR Cameras.  

Benefits

One of the questions going through your mind is why people use thermal cameras for inspection. Well, the best answer is because its application here comes with very many benefits. These benefits include;

1.     Faults Diagnosis

Thermal imaging is widely used in diagnosing various kinds of faults. In this example, we will take the case of electrical faults. When you use a thermal imager, you will clearly see yellow spots in the areas that have electrical posts. With this, electricians can quickly spring to action and fix it.

2.     Roofing leaks

Thermal imaging is widely used in inspecting roofs to ascertain whether or not they are leaking. The principal that is used here is the same as stated above, checking for temperature differences. The differences here are between water and the roofing material. Water is usually considered an item with a high thermal capacity. Therefore it gives up its heat faster than the materials surrounding it as it leaks. Therefore using this principle, a thermal imager can easily detect the areas that have accumulated moisture. In essence, these are the areas that have leaks.

Conclusion

Thermal imagers are commonly used in inspections, and many people wonder how this works. Well, the basic principle is through measuring temperature differences between two different areas/spots. When inspecting a certain phenomenon, the difference in temperatures will result in depicting different colors, and you will easily identify the issue from there. If you are wondering why people do all of this is because of many reasons. One, it is helpful in ascertain roofing leaks. It is also helpful in identifying different kinds of faults, including electrical ones. The list of benefits goes on and on.